NEWSLETTER

BSD SpecLink-E is up-to-date with Summer Quarter Release

With the Summer release of BSD products, SpecLink-E (SLE) becomes fully compatible with its older predecessor SpecLink+ (SLP) and fully up to date with Summer Quarter data. You can now copy any project from SLP to SLE and maintain full fidelity. We highly recommend updating SpecLink+ projects to the latest version (Summer Quarter Release 12.3) before copying to SLE. This insures full updatability in SLE going forward.  Click on the link at the end of this paragraph to learn more about the SLE updating process moving forward...(more)

Using the SpecLink-E and LinkMan-E Ribbon Bars

Both SpecLink-E and LinkMan-E use the relatively new Microsoft “ribbon bar” instead of the older, menu-based system used in BSD SpecLink+. The ribbon bar debuted in the Microsoft Office applications in 2007 and users familiar with Microsoft Office 2007 have already used it. Initially, this command concept may appear to be a screen hog that makes things more difficult to find. On closer examination, however, one will find that the bar is easily minimized and accessed, and it organizes commands into logical groups that are arranged on separate tabs. It is a much more visual interface that ultimately makes everything easier to find and use....(more)

Are Your Surge Protective Device Specifications UL 1449 3rd Edition Compliant?

If your specs still refer to transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSS), the answer to this question is most likely "no". This is because the most noticeable change in UL 1449 3rd Edition (effective September 29, 2009) is the change in terminology from transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSS) to surge protective devices (SPDs). "Surge protective device" is more than just a new name, however, as the term now refers to more than just the devices formerly known as TVSS... (more)

Section 08 7100 - Door Hardware Significantly Improved — New Checklist and Hardware Sets

Door hardware has typically been a very difficult section for specifiers, due particularly to life safety issues relating to doors, the wide variety of door hardware available, and the difficulty of specifying a particular level of quality without resorting to naming brand name products. This quarter's update to the door hardware section will not solve all these problems but does begin to address some of them...(more)

About Your Updates

About your SpecLink® & PerSpective® updates...(more)

BSD Customer Case Study: 
BSD SpecLink Fuels Growth at Applied Engineering Services, Inc.

Since their founding in 1998, the owners of Applied Engineering Services (Applied) knew they wanted to build a business that would provide superior engineering services by utlizing a time-proven approach for deliving the right solution specific to each project and client.

Applied Engineering Services (Applied) is an engineering solutions company that provides mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering services for the industrial, healthcare, institutional/university and government markets. The firm provides professional engineering solutions, including feasibility studies, engineering/construction sketches, drawings, specifications, project management, validation, construction management and construction field support. They provide professional mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering services “in-house” and subcontract other needed services.

Applied was founded in 1998 by three individuals who had worked together for over 16 years in managing projects, client relationships and office responsibilities. They currently employ 35 individuals, of whom 23 are degreed engineers and 14 are professionally registered in the State of Indiana.
 
Their goal from the beginning was to perform superior work at a fair and competitive price. Management recognized early that acquiring the latest technology would help them meet this goal. As a result, they have many repeat clients. They are also able to attract new clients by word of mouth and through formal recommendations....(more)

Project Specs by BSD SpecLink Subscribers

	2008	2009	YTD
Mfr Name Listings in Specs	2,164,557	3,693,492	1,935,228
Total Spec Sections Written	739,699	2,133,530	1,124,453
Projects in Progress	22,320	26,325	13,131
New Project Specs Started	15,052	21,168	6,478
Ave. No. Sections Per Project	~33	~81	~86

New Section Synopses

This quarter BSD adds four new sections to SpecLink and SpecLink-E —  Packaged-Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Units, Hydraulically-Driven Pier Foundations, Basis of Design Door Hardware-Hager, and Surge Protective Devices — while heavily revising three additional sections: Door Hardware, Wiring Devices, and Low-Voltage Transformers. Click the link to find out more about these new sections...(more)

Featured Manufacturers for Summer 2010

BSD gives building product manufacturers the opportunity to explain to SpecLink users the advantages of their products.  In the Summer 2010 update, we have expanded this feature to showcase these manufacturers:  Alpolic, Foundation Supportworks,  Hager, HP Spartacote, Red Devil, Temple Inland, Tubelite,  Viking, Vitro America, Wassau Windows, and Xypex.  To learn more about them, keep reading...(more)

Product Q&A

Quarterly Q&A designed to ask and answer your most common questions on all of BSD's products. This quarter we feature questions about SpecLink-E, SpecLink+, and CostLink/AE... (more)

Training Schedule

The BSD SpecLink-E Workshop
The BSD SpecLink-E two-day workshop is held every other month or so in Atlanta and at many other locations around the US. The first day is devoted to learning the basics of SpecLink-E, including how to navigate within the software, start a new project, edit sections, understand how the links and choices work, and how to format, print and export the final document. It is designed for new users. The second day covers how to create and maintain your own office master... (more)

Archives

Catch up on BSD news: previous feature articles, case studies, and Q&As. Download past LinkLines... (more)